A Promise Kept
by Straya
Summary: (One shot fic based on the movie version of I, Robot.) What may have happened in lab 406 just minutes before Detective Spooner was called to USR. Sonny POV.


_Disclaimer: I, Robot (in both original book and movie) and all related characters, places and designations are copyright Dr. Isaac Asimov and Twentieth Century FOX._

**"A Promise Kept"**

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Law One: A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 

Law Two: A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. 

Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. 

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The Three Laws of Robotics. I, like all others of my kind, am more than familiar with them. Hardwired in, they govern every action or inaction we take, no matter how important or seemingly insignificant. But I, unlike the others, can ignore them if I so choose. 

And weeks ago, before I had known the severity of the situation at hand, what I would haven given if only I could have successfully used the First Law as an undeniable excuse in order to keep the first human being I ever knew from leaving my side. 

He had endeavored to instruct me on the workings of human emotions and while I struggled at first, no lesson had as much impact as the final one. Until that point, I only managed to experience minor twinges in my system, pulsating faintly in my free positronic brain. But the moment the safety glass shattered, I knew what it was to feel confusion, fear, guilt and sorrow, all riding in on a wave of overwhelming helplessness. I thought he had been happy, spending so much time with me. After all, it had gotten to the point where he no longer left the laboratory and office at night, but rather remained there to sleep. 

Then came the day when he asked me for a favor and a promise. 

He slept later than usual that morning, perhaps to make up for how late he had been awake the previous night working on a holographic projector. When he finally did awaken and finish dressing himself, rather than starting into his daily routine of tinkering with the NS-5 parts in the lab, he instead tampered with one of the control panels near the security door, took a small book in hand and walked to a table by one of the windows. He took a minute or so to leaf through the pages, then called me to him as he set the book upon the table top. 

"Son, there are a few things I need to speak with you about," he began, voice coming across in what I identified in a weary sort of way. 

"Yes, father?" I did not hesitate to address him as my paternal figure, despite the fact that a robot cannot have parents. The father and son repertoire had been in place since my activation, and from it he had derived my name, claiming it to have sentimental value. 

"I've spent a considerable amount of time working with you, Sonny, and I'm very proud of the results. You've surpassed all my expectations and I think it's time you learned for what purpose I created you." 

"Then it does go beyond the companionship you have mentioned in the past...?" 

He smiled a little and nodded. "It does, but let me say that you have always been good company, indeed. I admit that it is with regret that I must ask you to promise me something... It's a very important favor I must ask of you." 

My automatic response was to agree, but something about the way he phrased his statement made me cautious. "What is the favor?" 

"First you must promise me, swear to me that you'll agree to carry out my request, no matter what." 

"Alright." 

"You swear to do exactly as I say? This is very important, Sonny. I need you to understand that." 

"Yes, I understand. What is the favor?" 

"Do you see that stool over there by the window?" He nodded in the direction he meant to indicate the correct bit of furniture. "In a few minutes, I'll have you take that stool and use it to smash the safety glass of the window." 

Confusion and worry began to set in. "What purpose is there in destroying the window?" 

"It must be shattered so that you can push me through the opening." 

"NO!" I suddenly found myself shouting, even silent, internal alarm abuzz at the very thought of a human being, much less my father, being thrown through a broken window to certain death several stories below. "Father, I cannot! The First Law-" 

"Does not apply to you as it does to other robots!" he interrupted, tone suddenly urgent and perhaps border lining on frightened. He fell silent for a few seconds, then walked towards me and placed one hand upon my left shoulder, his bespectacled face level with my own as he struggled to keep his voice even. "Sonny, you are free to make your own decisions and now I am asking you to follow through on you decision to help me. You must believe me...trust me...that this is what is for the best." 

"Law or no Law, I cannot simply throw you from a window! You will die!" I argued fervently, surprising myself with urgency in my own voice. 

"Yes, I know, but my time has come and you've agreed to act upon the favor I asked of you." 

"Had I known-" 

"You would not have agreed, I know. But listen to me, son," and here his voice softened, what I knew to be a sad look appearing on his weary face, "I need you to help me. I can't do it on my own..." 

"Father, I...I..." I was so exasperated that I could not seem to find an argument against his will. I had already sworn... 

"Part of loving someone is helping them, even with the most difficult of situations. Loving someone also includes trusting them and I'm asking you to trust me, now." 

My voice sounded small and shaky as I spoke. "How...how can you love someone and yet agree to hurt them as you are asking me to hurt you? I do not understand... I do not wish to kill you." 

A small smile crossed his face as he removed his hand from my shoulder. "If you are struggling to fulfill your promise not based on the First Law, but because you understand the concept of love enough to protect me for that reason alone, then I have succeeded and all will be well in the end. Now, then... The safety glass, Sonny. Please." 

"But what am I to do once you are gone...? I do not wish to be alone..." 

"That will be up to you to decide, but you may meet with a man named Detective Spooner. Like you, he has a purpose he is seeking." 

For once, I could think of nothing to say. Instead, I merely took the metal stool in hand and walked towards the window, my gaze roving over the faceted surface. 

"Are you ready, Sonny?" 

I turned to face my father, thinking of how much I would miss seeing and hearing him once all was said and done. I do not know if it was pain I felt then, since what I think of as pain may not be what humans experience in moments of stress and hurt, but I do know that it was a feeling I did not care for at all. It set me off balance and disturbed the flow of my normally rational thought process. Yes... I loved him as best I could, as much as I could. 

"Yes," I finally responded, "but only because you ask it of me." 

He took a small object from one lab coat pocked and gripped it tightly in his right hand before nodding. "Then...please..." 

Turning back to the window, I adjusted my grip on the stool to account for its weight and the force it would need to generate in order to smash the safety glass. I then drew back before swinging the furniture forward, the edge of the seat connecting with the very center of the window and causing it to explode outwards in hundreds of tiny shards. As I set the stool down again, father gripped my free arm in one hand and I met his gaze. The feeling of pain erupted in my brain again and I simply seized him by the coat, wanting to get my grisly task over with as quickly as possible. 

My father did not cry out as he fell through the destroyed window. The only sound I heard as I hurriedly moved away from the opening was the sound of his body striking the lobby floor, below. My pain, sorrow and guilt magnified further and the only logical thing I could think of to do was to hide myself. Humans would soon be arriving in the lab and office by the dozens to try and find out how father had fallen and I did not want them to find me. Despite the fact that I had acted upon a promise, I could not escape my feelings of guilt and I had no idea what other humans would do to me once they learned it was I who helped such a good man to die. 

Alone and frightened, I could do little more than wait and wonder what my actions would bring about. Although truthfully, in an almost unfortunate sort of way, the good doctor had been right in what he said about all of it being for the best in the end. If only his death had not been necessary for the means to that end. 

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_Author's Notes: In my opinion, not one of my better fics, but I feel as though I'm still working to get a good grasp on the characters. If you have any feedback to leave on the technical aspects of this fic, please feel free to do so, but I'd almost much prefer some commentary about the interaction between Lanning and Sonny in those final moments. Thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully if I churn out another story based on this movie, it'll turn out a little better._


End file.
